Theodore Hoerr, Principal ofTerrain Work, is a juror for the upcoming Malecon competition sponsored by Eleven Magazine. The competition, “Malecon: A Sea Defence & Cultural Space Challenge,” takes place in an iconic part of Havana, Cuba, and addresses the coastal vulnerability accelerated by climate change as well as “imagining a new wave of sociocultural design-led revival.” For more information on the competition and the opportunity for the public to vote visit Malecon: A Sea Defence & Cultural Space Challenge.

Terrain Work has created a new landscape for the Artist House, a mid-century modern house set on a five-acre lot of a mature hardwood forest of oak, maple, and walnut trees in rural New Jersey. The house was originally designed and constructed by two local artists and educators, Robert and Rowena MacPhail, during the late 1950’s . The project is a collaboration with Gary Rosard Architect who is providing a full renovation and expansion of this exquisitely unique historical structure. The garden for the house draws upon the artwork that is thought to have influenced the artist's design of the structure with its sloping triangulated rooflines reminiscent of the works of Maholy-Nagy and Wassily Kandinsky. The garden takes two-dimensional concepts found in these artist's paintings and extends them into three dimensional expressions of space, color, and movement in the landscape. To learn more about the Artist House click here.

Terrain Work recently completed a new master plan for the Wheels O’ Time Museum in Peoria, Illinois. The museum houses an extensive collection of over 30,000 square feet of antique and collector cars, trains, airplanes, tractors, fire trucks, and bicycles. In addition it recently acquired an innovative house from the 1930's constructed entirely from steel by the renowned industrial designer R.G. LeTourneau.

Terrain Work’s master plan for the museum incorporates the newly acquired Le Tourneau house into the museum campus to create an interconnected series of wheels that each contain different gardens designed to display museum artifacts and provide a variety of programmatic functions for the public to enjoy. To learn more about this project click here.

Terrain Work is collaborating with COVE Property Group and KPF on a new project at 441 9th Avenue in Manhattan. The plan is to reposition 441 Ninth Avenue as a “new” Class-A office development targeted to meet the needs of various tenants including TAMI (Technology, Advertising, Media and Information), fashion, financial and legal tenants. We are thrilled to work with a world class team of design and development experts in the heart of Manhattan. Stay tuned for more to come on this project at www.terrainwork.com

242 West 53rd was recently in the news as construction gains momentum. Situated in the heart of Manhattan and intertwined in a sixty story residential tower designed by Cetra Ruddy Architects, the landscape for West 53rd Street is embedded into the building at various levels, offering a wide array of spaces for outdoor dining, swimming, performance, sunbathing, and relaxation. Of particular importance, is a 3,000-square-foot blueroof that is both a performance art piece and intricate water managment infrastructure that slowly releases water back into the storm sewer system over a twenty four hour period. To learn more about this project that Theodore Hoerr led while a Principal at Balmori Associates click here.

It is with a heavy heart to share that on November 14th, 2016, Diana Balmori passed away. Diana was a mentor, teacher, and confidant to many people over the years, including me. She always made time for the intellectually curious, whether it was a nascent student of landscape architecture or an established contemporary. Her influence was broad and wide-ranging, and her passion for landscape as a medium that could transform the way we live and interact with nature was second to none.

For five years we spent countless hours together, both working in her office as well as teaching at Yale. When I first came to work in her office in early 2011 it was unlike any other environment that I had experienced in the past, both professional or academic. From the outset there was a relentless fervor and zeal placed on how to draw and how the process of drawing played a fundamental role in seeing and conceptualizing landscape. This idea of drawing was not limited to a particular instrument – computer, pencil, pen, etc. - nor was it exclusive to a particular medium – drawing, painting, collage, physical models, dioramas, digital models, film, video. It was wide open. Experimentation was always encouraged and a fundamental part of her work. I once heard the saying, “To draw is to see the world with your eye, mind, and your heart.” Diana embodied this approach and used it to push the boundaries of envisioning landscape. By doing so, she moved the discipline and discourse of landscape forward. Among her many accomplishments perhaps one of the most impactful and enduring qualities she instilled in me, and I suspect many others working in her office through the years, was the ability to see landscape anew.

The profession of landscape architecture has lost a visionary, but beyond that, many of us have lost a mentor, colleague, friend, and family member. Diana will be missed, but her ideas will live on in the people and places she inspired. A link to her obituary in the NY Times can be found here. Image courtesy of Balmori Associates

The University of Iowa Hancher Auditorium was recently featured on ArchDaily. The landscape for Hancher consists of an innovative water management system that captures, cleans, and infiltrates water from the surrounding area into the ground. This reduces runoff into the the Iowa River to help mitigate future flooding events, and create a more resilient riverfront landscape. Theodore Hoerr led the landscape architectural design of this project while a Principal at Balmori Associates in collaboration with Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. To learn more about how this project transformed the Art Campus landscape on the banks of the Iowa River click here.

Terrain Work has started several new projects recently, including this garden in Lebanon, New Jersey. Situated on a picturesque three acre site at the edge of a mature woodland, the new garden will feature a series of cascading terraces down the hillside that act as an armature for raised vegetable and herb parterres while also providing access to an entertainment lawn. A path will be circumscribed into the meadow and existing woodland areas to unify the property so that it can be enjoyed both visually and experientially. Finally, a meadow of native plant species will serve as the underlying planting matrix for a large portion of the site. The meadow plants have been selected to attract a variety of New Jersey native birds and butterflies in addition to providing a striking visual backdrop of flowering meadow plants and grasses that change in texture and color from season to season.

The University of Iowa is excited to announce the ribbon cutting and open house for Hancher Auditorium is scheduled for September 9th at 3:00pm! Theodore Hoerr led the design of this project while a Principal at Balmori Associates in collaboration with Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. To learn more about how this project is transforming the Art Campus landscape on the banks of the Iowa River click here.

The proposal for the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts campus expansion in collaboration with Ennead Architects was recently featured on ArchDaily. The proposal hybridizes two archetypal landscapes, the campus and the park, cultivating a new landscape where the academy is also viewed as a civic expression of the city. Theodore Hoerr led the design of this project while he was a Principal at Balmori Associates. To learn more about the landscape design for the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts click here.

SoHo Tower was recently in the news after architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop unveiled the design scheme for this residential development in Manhattan. Theodore Hoerr led the landscape architectural design for this project while a Principal at Balmori Associates. Find out more about SoHo Tower landscape at terrainwork.com.

The Ciudad Empresarial Sarmiento Angulo, an urban project spanning three city blocks in the heart of Bogota, Colombia, has begun construction. Located on Avenida El Dorado, the city's main cultural axis, the project marks the midpoint between Bogota’s historic downtown and Bogota International airport. The project will create a new cultural district in the city that links together three districts of the city: Centro Administrativo Nacional, Ciudad Salitre Orientale and Quinta Paredes. Find out more about the Ciudad Empresarial Sarmiento Angulo, which was led by Theodore Hoerr while a Principal at Balmori Associates.

Beginning today Theodore Hoerr will be teaching two courses in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design during the Spring term: Site, Ecology, and Design with Emily Vogler and Plants and Design with Adam Anderson. Follow his updates on instagram and twitter during the semester.

The Hancher Auditorium is nearing completion! This project for the University of Iowa implements a progressive water management system that captures, cleans, and infiltrates water into the ground. The design strategy transforms the relationship between the Art Campus and Iowa River to ensure a more resilient environment. Theodore Hoerr led the design of this project while a Principal at Balmori Associates in collaboration with Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. Read more about the Landscape for Hancher Auditorium.